CWA Local 1033
Communications Workers of America, AFL-CIO
Summary of the CWA State of New Jersey Executive Branch Tentative Agreement – July 1, 2015 through June 30, 2019
This agreement is subject to ratification by the members of the A, P, R and S bargaining units of the Communications Workers of America, AFL-CIO
Click here for printer friendly version CWA State Worker TA Summary
Term of Contract
The Contract begins July 1, 2015 and will expire June 30, 2019. The effective date of this Tentative Agreement is April 4, 2018 because that date is when we reached agreement on these terms.
Increments
All employees on the payroll as of April 4, 2018 who were eligible to receive any increments between July 1, 2015 and April 4, 2018, shall receive the increments they would have received had increments been paid on their anniversary dates.
Members eligible to receive annual increments between July 2018 and the end of the contract will be paid when those increments are regularly due.
Across-the-Board Wage Increases
There are two Across-the-Board (ATB) increases— 2% as of August 15, 2017 and 2% as of July 1, 2018.
Bonus for Members at Max
Any employee who already reached the Maximum salary for the Range for their title, and was not due any increment between July 1, 2015 and the effective date of this Agreement, will receive a bonus of $650. The bonus is a one-time lump sum payment, not added to base and not pensionable.
Workers Who RETIRED, but Were Eligible for Increments
Workers who retired prior to April 4, 2018 who did not receive increments that they were eligible for, will not receive retroactive increments and will not have their pensions adjusted. They will, however, receive a one- time $650 bonus.
Clothing Maintenance Allowance
All employees who were eligible for the Clothing Maintenance Allowance (CMA) and were receiving CMAs in 2014, and continued to meet the eligibility criteria in the contract, will receive CMA payments retroactive to July 2015. Employees eligible for retroactive CMA checks will also be eligible for a CMA payment in 2018 and going forward the rest of this new contract.
There are approximately 1,000 employees whose eligibility for CMA was disputed by the Christie Administration and for whom grievances were filed. These approximately 1,000 employees will receive CMA payments retroactive to 2015, and will continue payments for the remainder of this contract.
Employees hired after July 1, 2015 who would be eligible for the CMA because they meet the criteria in the Contract shall also receive any CMA they should have received.
CWA STATE OF NEW JERSEY EXECUTIVE BRANCH TENTATIVE AGREEMENT PAGE 2
Timing for All Raises and Retroactive Payments
A member has to be on the State payroll as of April 4, 2018 in order to receive retroactive payments.
Workers who left payroll prior to April 4, 2018 will not receive retroactive increments, retroactive across-the-boards, or Clothing Maintenance Allowance.
1. All employees should be placed on the new correct step that includes the two across-the-board increases of 2% each in their July 27, 2018 paycheck.* This places a person where they should be if they had received steps and ATBs since 2015. Your base salary will be adjusted to your new base.
2. Retroactive CMA payments will be made in separate checks for each CMA payment due under our Agreement and employees will begin to receive them in June 2018.
3. Retroactive increments* will be paid in a separate check and employees should receive them by the end of October 2018. These are retro payments— what is owed to you from prior years had steps been paid on time.
4. Retroactive payment for the August 15, 2017 2% across-the-board raise* will be paid in a separate check and employees should receive that check by the end of October 2018. These are retro payments— what is owed had the ATB been paid and applied to the increment guide in August 2017.
Deductions from Retroactive Checks
The Chapter 78 Schedule sets what percentage of premium an employee must pay for healthcare based upon their level of coverage (Single, Parent-Child, Spouse, Family). Had employees received increments on time and across-the-board raises, their Chapter 78 rate of contribution would have gone up for those Plan Years based upon the salary increase they received.
This Tentative Agreement provides, however, that there will be no calculation of Chapter 78 health care contributions deducted from retroactive pay. Other deductions (taxes, pension, FICA, dues, etc.) will be deducted from retroactive checks.
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Chapter 78 health care contributions will be recalculated as of July 27, 2018 from that point forward when members are placed into their new adjusted base salary (including all increments and ATBs applied). *Important Note about Timing of Payments: The State commits to make payments to employees in accordance with the schedule above. Please note: calculations must be made for every single quarterly increment, all of the across-the-boards, and adjusted for any employee who received a promotion, demotion, new title, or had a Leave of Absence. If that results in any delay of an employee or group of employee’s raises, CWA will be notified as soon as possible and action will be taken to correct the record and get checks out as soon as possible. A delay for an employee or group of employees should not delay checks for others. |
We know our members have fought for three years to get a fair contract. So we are moving into negotiations for the next contract a year in advance of expiration.
Negotiations for the next Contract starting in 2019: The State and CWA have agreed to begin negotiations on the July 1, 2019 Contract beginning in May 2018.
CWA NJ EXECUTIVE BRANCH CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS UPDATE | April 16, 2018
CWANJ Tentative Agreement Notice April 16 2018 FINAL
Dear CWA Members,
WE HAVE A TENTATIVE AGREEMENT FOR A CONTRACT for State Workers (Executive Branch).
We reached an agreement on a July 1, 2015 – June 30, 2019 contract with the Murphy Administration that addresses all retroactive increments, clothing allowance and two across the board increases of 2% and 2%.
We will meet with Shop Stewards and get you the details of the Agreement this week. We will be announcing voting details and dates soon through our shop stewards and worksite broadcasts. You will be able to see everything in writing before the ratification vote.
We achieved our goals. The contract improves on the pattern set by other settlements and sets a foundation for our next contract. We bargained to receive all of our increments retroactively and raises for workers at max. There are no concessions in this tentative agreement. We protected the Contract.
We also know we waited a long time to reach this agreement and we have new issues to bargain for the next one. We will begin bargaining the next contract a year in advance, and have bargaining dates for the next round already scheduled in May 2018.
Your Bargaining Team unanimously supports this Agreement. When we fight— we win!
In Solidarity,
Your Bargaining Team
CWA Local 1033 Contract Informational Meeting & Ratification Voting
CLICK HERE FOR: CWA State Worker TA Summary
Find your physical work location below for Contract Informational Meeting and Ratification Vote Dates.
*Smaller worksites could have worksite meeting and ratification voting on the same day.
100 & 200 Riverview Plaza – Department of Education
Worksite Meeting: April 17th / 12:30 – 2:30
Ratification: April 25th / 9:30 – 3:30 / Location to be Announced
20 West State Street – Banking and Insurance & Treasury Risk Management
Worksite Meeting: April 19th / 9:30 – 10:30
Ratification: April 25th / 9:30 – 3:30 / Room 219-220
28 West State Street – Treasury / Elder Advocacy
Vote at 33 West State Street
33 West State Street
Treasury Revenue, Property Management & Construction, Purchase & Property, Office of Management &
Budget, NJ Arts Council, Secretary’s 8th Floor Office, Business Action Center, Travel & Tourism, Historical
Commission, Division of Elections
Worksite Meeting: April 19th / 11:00 – 12:00 / 9th Floor Bid Room
Ratification: April 25th / 9:30 – 3:30 / 9th Floor Bid Room
605 South Broad Street – Treasury Central Motor Pool
Worksite Meeting: April 20th / 9:30 – 10:30 / Conference Room
Ratification: April 26th / 9:30 – 12:30 / Conference Room
50 Barrack Street – Treasury Division of Taxation
Worksite Meeting: April 20th / 9:30 – 10:30 / 4th Floor Conference Room
Ratification: April 25th / 9:30 – 3:30 / 4th Floor Conference Room
185, 205 and 225 West State Street – State Library, State Museum, Archives
Worksite Meeting: April 20th / 11:00 – 12:00 / State Auditorium
Ratification: April 25th / 9:30 – 3:30 / State Auditorium
50 West State Street
Treasury EEO & Affirmative Action, Investments, Pensions, DORES, Unclaimed Property
Worksite Meeting: April 20th / 1:30 – 2:30 / Revenue Conference Room – 4th Floor
Ratification: April 25th / 9:30 – 3:30 / Revenue Conference Room – 4th Floor
1333 Brunswick Circle – Treasury Lottery
Worksite Meeting: April 23rd / 9:30 – 10:30 / Conference Room
Ratification: April 25th / 9:30 – 12:30 / Conference Room
225 East State Street – Motor Vehicle Commission
Worksite Meeting: April 23rd / 11:00 – 12:00 / 8 East – Conference Room A
Ratification: April 26th / 9:30 – 3:30 / 6 West Conference Room
25 South Stockton Street – Law & Public Safety Election Law
Worksite Meeting: April 23rd / 12:00 – 1:00 / 1st Floor Training Room
Ratification: April 26th / 9:30 – 2:00 / 1st Floor Training Room
140 East Front Street – Law & Public Safety – Highway Traffic Safety, Civil Rights, NJ State Police, Medical Board,
Rates Council, Alcohol Beverage Control, Racing Commission
Worksite Meeting: April 23rd / 1:30 – 2:30 / 7th Floor ABC Big Room
Ratification: April 26th / 9:30 – 3:30 / 7th Floor ABC Big Room
Hughes Justice Complex – 25 Market Street – Law & Public Safety, Division of Law, Criminal Justice, Office
of the Attorney General, Office of the Public Defender
Worksite Meeting: April 23rd / 3:00 – 4:00 / 4th Floor West – Conference Room D-1
Ratification: April 26th / 9:30 – 3:30 / Cafeteria
200 Wolverton Street – Treasury DORES
Worksite Meeting: April 24th / 9:00 – 10:00 / 2nd Floor Conference Room
Ratification: April 26th / 9:30 – 3:30 / 2nd Floor Conference Room
1200 Negron Drive – NJ State Police & Troop C Headquarters
Worksite Meeting: April 24th / 9:30 – 10:30 / Guard Conference Room (OFS)
Ratification: April 25th / 9:30 – 3:30 / Guard Conference Room (OFS)
1040 River Road – NJ State Police Headquarters
Worksite Meeting: April 24th / 1:00 – 2:00 / Multi-Purpose Room
Ratification: April 25th / 9:30 – 3:30 / Multi-Purpose Room
840 Bear Tavern Road – Office of the Public Defender
Worksite Meeting: April 24th / 2:30 – 3:30 / Conference Room
Ratification: April 25th / 9:30 – 3:30 / Conference Room
2300 Stuyvesant Avenue – Treasury DORES & TAESC Talking Book & Braille Center
Worksite Meeting: April 25th / 9:30 – 10:00 / Conference Room
Ratification: April 25th / 10:00 – 3:00 / Conference Room
Whittlesey Road – Treasury – Office of the Ombudsman
Voting at 2300 Stuyvesant Avenue (Above)
210 South Broad Street – Office of the Public Defender
Worksite Meeting: April 25th / 9:30 / 2nd Floor Conference Room
Ratification: April 25th / 9:30 – 3:30 / 2nd Floor Conference Room
25 South Stockton Street – Law & Public Safety – Election Law, Treasury Contract Compliance & EEO
Worksite Meeting: April 25th / 2:00 / 1st Floor Training Room
Ratification: April 26th / 9:30 – 2:00 / 1st Floor Training Room
120 Stockton Street – Motor Vehicle Commission
Worksite Meeting: April 26th / 9:00 – 10:00 / Motor Carrier Conference Room
Ratification: April 26th / 10:00 – 12:30 / Motor Carrier Conference Room
101 Eggerts Crossing Road – Military & Veterans Affairs
Worksite Meeting: April 26th / 9:30 – 10:00 / Basement Conference Room
Ratification: April 26th / 10:00 – 3:00 / Basement Conference Room
1620 Stuyvesant Avenue – Treasury Distribution Center
Worksite Meeting: April 26th / 9:30 – 10:30 / Conference Room
Ratification: April 26th / 10:00 – 1:30 / Conference Room
3200 Brunswick Pike – Motor Vehicle Commission / Bakers Basin
Worksite Meeting: April 26th / 1:30 / Lunch Room
Ratification: April 26th / 1:30 – 3:30 / Lunch Room
930 Lower Ferry Road – Treasury Capitol Post Office
Worksite Meeting: April 30th / 9:30 – 10:00 / Break Room
Ratification: April 30th / 10:00 – 12:30 / Break Room
3444 Quakerbridge Road – Building 9 & 11 – Treasury Taxation, Office of Administrative Law, Governor’s
Council on Alcohol and Drugs
Worksite Meeting: April 30th / 9:30 – 10:00 / 1st Floor – Building 9 – Room 7
Ratification: April 30th / 10:00 – 3:30 / 1st Floor – Building 9 – Room 7
101 Carroll Street – Treasury Print Shop
Worksite Meeting: April 30th / 1:30 – 2:00 / Break Room
Ratification: April 30th / 2:00 – 3:30 / Break Room
320 Sullivan Way – Katzenbach School for the Deaf
Worksite Meeting: April 23 / 8:30 – 9:30 / ELMS Auditorium
Ratification: April 30th / 8:30 – 2:00 / Location to be announced
NON-MEMBERS must sign a membership card at their designated voting location in order to vote on the contract.
All work locations in Local 1033 should be listed above. If you have any questions as to where and when to attend meetings or vote, please call the Local at 609-394-7725.
Members MUST vote at the designated worksite locations listed.
CWA 1033 Local Election Committee certifies Rodney Stevens as duly elected Vice President of Administrative Clerical and Representative of CWA Local 1033
The members of the Local Election Committee certify that the results of the tabulation of the ballots cast for the position of Vice President/Administrative Clerical as follows:
Rodney Stevens: 81
Lisa Cox: 64
***CWA Local 1033 By – Laws, Article XIV, Section 3. A. states: The nominee in the election for President, Executive Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer receiving the majority of votes shall be declared elected. In case no one nominee receives a majority of votes cast, the Election Committee shall conduct a run – off election. The two nominees having the greatest number of votes o n the first ballot shall be nominees on the second ballot.
The Election Committee hereby certifies Rodney Stevens as duly elected Vice President of Administrative Clerical and Representative of CWA Local 1033.
We extend our thanks and best wishes to all who participated in the election process. Let us now work together for the betterment of CWA Local 1033 and all the workers whom our Union Represents.
Sincerely,
CWA Local 1033 Election Committee
Sharon Godett, Chair
Jeanette Heads, Co-Chair
Errick Wiggins, Secretary
Frederique Adam-Jupillat, Committee Member
Education & Equity Committee Meeting 3/27/18 @ 5:00pm
The Education and Equity Committee will be having a meeting 5pm Tuesday March 27, 2018 at CWA Local 1033 Address 321 West State Street. Walter Bliss will be our guest speaker giving an oral presentation on The Trenton Literacy Movement. All members are welcome. Please RSVP by the 23rd of March to Joy at CWA local 1033 609-394-7725.
CWA NJ EXECUTIVE BRANCH CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS UPDATE | March 14, 2018
Click here for printable .PDF of CWA Bargaining Report 3/14/18
Brothers and Sisters,
Your CWA Bargaining Committee and the Murphy Administration are currently involved in formal contract negotiations to resolve all legal, contractual and retroactive matters. As members know, our contract expired in July 2015. Our bargaining covers all issues retroactive to that date.
We have litigation around step increases and other issues, open clothing allowance disputes, and important contract language at stake. Both sides are working aggressively to resolve all outstanding issues as quickly as possible.
Bargaining will continue next week and we expect progress to continue until we reach conclusion of these outstanding issues.
The patience and solidarity of our CWA membership has bested every unprecedented attack on us during the last eight years. Please continue to support your Bargaining Committee in this push to reach a tentative agreement.
You can show your support of the Bargaining Committee by wearing RED on Thursdays, especially over the net two weeks. Be sure to attend your Local Worksite and Membership Meetings where the most recent developments will be discussed.
Thank you,
Gaye Palmer, President
CWA Local 1033
Gov. Phil Murphy ordered state offices closed Wednesday as New Jersey braces for another big coastal storm that could dump up to a foot of snow in parts of the state.
The order for all non-essential workers to stay home came hours after Murphy declared a state of emergency effective 8 p.m. Tuesday.
New Jersey Office of Emergency Management announced the closure in a tweet and a Murphy spokesman confirmed the governor gave the order.
The governor warned people should prepare for additional power outages as some 40,000 utility customers are still without power from the monster nor’easter that ravaged New Jersey and other states along the East Coast on Friday.
Forecasters predict Wednesday’s storm will bring a big mix of snow, rain and gusty winds.
“It’s expected to hit us tonight through tomorrow, bringing wet, heavy snow,” Murphy said at a public event in West Trenton on Tuesday. “Please do not venture out on the roads during the storm.”
N.J. school closings, delayed openings (Wednesday, March 7, 2018)
People should stay off the roads so they do not interfere with law enforcement and emergency responders. Based on the latest projections, forecasters are expecting the storm to be at its worst Wednesday afternoon into Wednesday evening.
The National Weather Service is forecasting as much as 8 to 12 inches of snow to accumulate across the northern half of New Jersey, with perhaps more in hilly areas of Warren County and eastern Pennsylvania.
Garden State residents may consult the state’s emergency preparedness website, www.ready.nj.gov for further information. Information about road conditions will be available at the New Jersey Department of Transportation website: http://www.511nj.org/.
Matt Arco may be reached at marco@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @MatthewArco or Facebook
CWA Honors Pamela Knight, our AFSCME Union Sister
Dear CWA Sisters and Brothers,
On Friday, September 29, 2017, at 5 p.m., Pamela Knight, a 57 year old child protective services worker employed by the State of Illinois, received a call that a 2 year old child on her caseload was unsafe.
Instead of going home, she rushed to the home of the child with a member of the county
Sheriff’s department to remove the child. When she arrived at the home, the father had left the home with the child and was reportedly at his parents’; home in another county. The Sheriff’s officer could not go to that county. Pam called the county sheriff’s department in that county asking that someone meet her at the grandparents’ home.
But no officer was there when Pam arrived at the grandparents’ home. When Pam went into the home, she was brutally attacked by the father, and as a result of that attack she went into a coma and she remained unconscious until Thursday, February 8, 2018, when she died. Her attacker has been charged with first degree attempted murder. Pam’s local union, AFSCME, contributed to a fund to support Pam’s family, and Pam’s husband has thankfully received the fund and has asked that no further funds be contributed to the
family. Mr. Knight has dedicated himself to changing the policies and laws in Illinois that did not protect his wife.
In honor of Pamela, and of all child protective services workers, CWA is asking our members to sign on to the following letter which will accompany a plaque and be shared with Pam’s family.
With Deepest Sympathy to the Family and Friends of Pamela Knight: We, like Pamela Knight, have dedicated our work lives to the safety and protection of children.
In honor of her sacrifice and commitment to children, and because Pamela Knight’s death was not in vain, the CWA Members and New Jersey child protective services workers do take this solemn vow:
We dedicate ourselves to not only the noble task of rescuing children and families destroyed by abuse and neglect, but we commit to each other and to all child protective services workers, our solemn promise that we will stand in solidarity to keep each other safe and that we will demand that all workers are protected from violence as they carry out their duties. In honor of Pamela Knight, we commit that we will never cease fighting for the safety of our sisters and brothers who every day, labor so that all children may be safe from abuse and neglect.
Rest in Peace, Pamela Knight.
2/7/18 2 Hr. Delay Opening for state offices.
2/7/18 – 2 Hour Delay opening for state offices
Due to a winter storm expected to slick roadways with a mix of snow and ice, officials have announced a two-hour delayed opening for all New Jersey state offices on Wednesday.
The delay is to allow time for roads, parking lots and sidewalks to be cleared and made safe, the New Jersey Office of Emergency Management said in a statement.
Essential employees should report to work on their regular schedule, officials said.
CWA NJ EXECUTIVE BRANCH CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS UPDATE | February 6, 2018
Brothers and Sisters,
Before the election in November, the State had provided a list of bargaining proposals to CWA which would have rolled back several sections of the contract, including PARs, removed workplace dignity from the contract, and other issues. We discussed many of these bogus proposals in previous bargaining updates.
As you know, Governor Murphy took office January 16. Both CWA and the State have acted quickly since that time to get negotiations back on track and to clear roadblocks the Christie administration left in our path. CWA’s top priorities for our state executive branch membership are to settle our long-expired contract and resolve the dispute over stalled increments as quickly as possible.
Here is what we have done so far:
1. Christie’s challenge at PERC to block our increment grievance was removed from PERC’s agenda.
After the NJ Supreme Court ruled that increment grievances were arbitrable, Christie filed a petition with his hand-picked PERC Commission asking to block our grievance and arbitration. Governor Murphy and CWA jointly requested that Christie’s challenge be removed from PERC’s January 25 meeting agenda. That request was granted.
2. CWA Is Acting Quickly to Open Contract Negotiations with the New Administration
We are setting up formal bargaining dates and the Governor is replacing Christie’s bargaining team with new representatives. We will bargain strongly but quickly because the issues are well-known after three years working without a contract.
3. Critical Appointments are Moving Forward.
Replacements are progressing for the Public Employment Relations Commission, the Governor’s Office of Employee Relations, and the Civil Service Commission. PERC oversees arbitration and contract disputes. OER oversees state-wide labor relations issues and the CWA-State contract. The CSC oversees testing, seniority rules, classification and desk audits, hours of work, disciplinary appeals, and other important work rules that affect us every day.
4. In addition, the Murphy Administration has notified the Civil Service Commission to cease its effort to change rules on overtime. The Christie CSC had proposed changes to OT rules that would exclude any benefit leave time from OT calculation and would make it harder for employees to qualify for FMLA.
By illegally stopping the payment of our increments, Governor Christie created a legal and financial mess for our members and for the new Governor. That mess has to be untangled. CWA members are rightfully anxious to receive what we earned and are due under prior contracts, but we are encouraged by the initial steps taken by the new Governor to quickly resolve our outstanding contract negotiations.
Your Bargaining Committee
Dennis Trainor CWA District 1 Vice President
Hetty Rosenstein CWA NJ Area Director
John Rose President CWA Local 1031
Patrick Kavanagh President CWA Local 1032
Gaye Palmer President CWA Local 1033
Adam Liebtag President CWA Local 1036
Ken McNamara President CWA Local 1037
Shawn Ludwig President CWA Local 1038
Joe Diesso Temporary Administrator CWA Local 1039
Carolyn Wade President CWA Local 1040
CWA National News
- Bargaining Update April 19, 2018
- On Tax Day and Beyond, CWAers Fight Back against Corporate Giveaways April 19, 2018
- Envoy and Piedmont Passenger Service Agents Call for Fair Wages April 19, 2018
- New York Takes Steps to Protect Public Workers before Janus Decision April 19, 2018
- UCW-CWA Members Fight to Improve Adjunct Faculty Working Conditions April 19, 2018
- CWA Members Defeat Attempt to Prevent Working People from Improving Working Conditions on Tribal Lands April 19, 2018
- Raising Standards Together in the Wireless Industry April 19, 2018
- CWA Local 2204 and Next Gen are CWA STRONG! April 19, 2018
- On Tax Day, Working People Are Angry and Fighting Back April 17, 2018
- AS AT&T POSTS BILLIONS IN PROFITS FROM GOP TAX BILL, DETROIT WORKER JOINS TAX MARCH 2018 TO CALL OUT COMPANY FOR MASS LAYOFFS April 17, 2018
